Some Sensory ?'s for you...

here4u

Today was Sophie's first day of OT, center based.  I sat in on todays session just to get her comfortable and she was doing great. The sessions are only 1/2 hour & they go by SO quick!  She played at the sensory station for like 15 min.  It was dry rice but it was meant to be used like sand, using sand toys.  She loved it!  The therapist suggested we set up a "resort corner" in the house to let her have some down time. I had told her that Sophie will sit in any box she can fit herself into, and she said thats her way of saying she needs to have some quiet time. She also said when we go back on Thurs., that she's going to give me a sensory diet for Sophie to use during the week. Sophie has some oral sensory too, so she gave me some good tips-like giving her seltzer so she feels the bubbles, feels that her mouth is full.  We already are massaging her cheeks and she loves that.  Did you feel that these things helped your DC?  How did you set up the resort corner?  Oh, and 1 more question, if your DC has oral sensory and they LIKE their teeth brushed, does it almost seem like they go into a trance?

Thanks!

ajanes

I'm not entirely sure this is what you are talking about as far as "resort center" but we took different storage bins, like these, and filled them with different textures.  We have one with a bunch of uncooked pasta noodles, one with uncooked rice, one with different uncooked beans, and one with styrofoam packing peanuts.  DS gets them out and plays in each of them.  He is sensory resistant so we are working to get him to get into each box. 

As far as teeth brushing, he as oral defensiveness so we have the opposite problem.  He hates to brush his teeth.

here4u

Thanks!  Thats actually what the bin looked like yesterday that was filled with the uncooked rice at her session.  The resort corner she said would just be a place for her to sit and relax, so she could sit in a box or bucket and feel surrounded and maybe put some books in there.  The therapist suggested even a bean bag chair too.

Baby4OT

I'm a pediatric OT. I've never heard it called a "resort center" before, but I kind of like it. Some things I've suggested to parents for a quiet place are to have a place for the child to go to get the sensory input they need. It's different for each kid, so go with what her therapist gives you, especially her sensory diet. Often I find that a small kids tent is a good starting place. You can put a bean bag chair in there, a blanket (weighted or not), and so on.

mommafirst

I have triplets who are 3 now.  They've all had sensory issues but my tiny boy seems to have the worst of it.  We have just found out that he has CP.  Anyway, his OT gave him a Nuk brush that we were supposed to rub around in his mouth and also the cheek/lip massages.  I'm really not sure if I should say it helped or not since he has bigger issues now.  He still drools like he can't feel it but he does eat better now.  In fact he's the best eater of the three.  lol  We also bought them spin brushes which are more like toys for them.  They would "brush" their teeth all day if you let them.  We don't have a resort corner since he needs A LOT more input than most.  If we need to get him to focus then we do leg and arm squeezes or do some tipping or jumping.  The sensory diet also works different for him.  Things like lemon, pickles, etc.  he thinks are the greatest things.  No reaction from the sour.  He does like bubbles also.  Physically, he will say "ow" to everything but the doc thinks that it's more for attention than anything.  Meanwhile, his sister and brother seem to feel no pain.  His brother will get himself into tons of trouble and might get a pat on the diaper and he thinks that is the funniest thing. (Very frustrating for us since we are running out of discipline options)  My daughter seems to be afraid of Koosh balls, pom poms and being dirty.   I guess I won't have a cheerleader on my hands.  lol  OT had suggested using whipped cream and pudding for them to squish for another type of texture and getting over her fear of being dirty.  One suggestion for the resort corner though.  I had bought the trips a tent type playhouse at Walmart or Target.  Inexpensive and might be a nice quiet time place for your daughter. Sorry that this seems muttled up but I hope that it has some ideas for you to try.